remote control.
“Okay then.” Star left the room, Cade behind her.
“I really can make it home on my own,” Star said to him. “I did it last night. It’s not like I’ve never seen a bear before.”
“It wasn’t as late last night.” Cade opened the door for her. “You’re an independent, career woman. I get that. But I can use the fresh air. Let me walk you, Star.”
They left the house, crossed the driveway, and started down the path that would take them from Cade’s to Patsy’s.
Star walked ahead of Cade. Knowing he watched her made her skin tingle, made her feel alive in a way she didn’t quite understand or want to acknowledge.
When they reached the mobile home, Star went up the steps. “Hey,” she said, when she noticed the broken window had been boarded up. “Did you do that?”
“I sent Brad over,” Cade said. “Part of his punishment.”
“Thanks.” The unexpected kindness warmed her. “Thanks for dinner. And thanks for walking me.”
Cade reached around her and opened the door.
For once, Star wished for darkness. Was he going to kiss her? No, that would be too weird. Her cheeks heated. Instinctively, Star back–stepped.
Cade reached for her, his hands closing around her upper arms. “Cold?” He rubbed her arms.
Was he kidding? If anything, her skin was heating up. “No.”
“Me, either,” he said, the double meaning clear. “Do I scare you, Star?”
“Not exactly. Well, maybe a little.”
A shadow crossed his features. “I want to apologize again for the way I treated you when we were kids. I can’t tell you how much I regret hurting and embarrassing you.”
His hands slid up and down her upper arms, his touch gentle, sensual. He looked her straight in the eyes and Star saw sincerity and regret.
“Let’s not talk about the past anymore,” she said, unable to think of anything else to say. In fact, she was having trouble thinking at all as Cade’s hands moved to her shoulders. “Let’s just agree that we both had it rough and move on.”
“Deal.” His hands cupped her face. Slowly, his fingers passed over her cheeks and into her hair.
No one had ever touched her like this, with such tenderness. Desire shot through Star. She felt like a piece of chocolate left too long in the sun, melted and delicious. Unable to help herself, Star swayed toward him.
His mouth took hers.
And heaven help her, Star kissed him back. He held her head in his large hands, making her a willing captive. She didn’t want to escape. She wanted more. His tongue touched hers. Liquid heat pooled deep in her belly. For the first time she understood lust and longing.
Star inched closer to him, her hands splaying against his chest, so solid and firm under her palms. So male. So different from her.
Cade’s mouth left her lips to explore her neck. Star moaned. His lips brushed over her chin, back to her mouth, and he whispered, “I always wanted to kiss you. That was a long time coming.”
His words feathered across her skin, dissolving the rest of her doubts about this new improved Cade. She pulled back in an effort to gather her wits. Her heart pounded in her chest. Every nerve ending in her body sizzled.
He touched his forehead to hers. “I want you, Star. Maybe I always have.”
Was this about sex? Did he want to have sex with her? “No, that’s not happening.”
“Why?” he asked.
Cade was a dead–end, for so many reasons. “I’m leaving soon.”
“So?” he said, his eyes smoldering with intent. “We’re grownups.”
“Meaning?” she asked.
“Meaning we’re free agents. We can make love without guilt.”
Star turned out of his embrace, cold where she’d been hot seconds before. “Maybe you can, but I can’t. I’m not a one–night stand kind of girl. We’re not a good fit, you and I. You’re the all–American outdoorsman. I’m a city girl. We are worlds apart.”
“Come on, Star,” Cade said, taking her hands. “I’m talking about sex, no
“Okay then.” Star left the room, Cade behind her.
“I really can make it home on my own,” Star said to him. “I did it last night. It’s not like I’ve never seen a bear before.”
“It wasn’t as late last night.” Cade opened the door for her. “You’re an independent, career woman. I get that. But I can use the fresh air. Let me walk you, Star.”
They left the house, crossed the driveway, and started down the path that would take them from Cade’s to Patsy’s.
Star walked ahead of Cade. Knowing he watched her made her skin tingle, made her feel alive in a way she didn’t quite understand or want to acknowledge.
When they reached the mobile home, Star went up the steps. “Hey,” she said, when she noticed the broken window had been boarded up. “Did you do that?”
“I sent Brad over,” Cade said. “Part of his punishment.”
“Thanks.” The unexpected kindness warmed her. “Thanks for dinner. And thanks for walking me.”
Cade reached around her and opened the door.
For once, Star wished for darkness. Was he going to kiss her? No, that would be too weird. Her cheeks heated. Instinctively, Star back–stepped.
Cade reached for her, his hands closing around her upper arms. “Cold?” He rubbed her arms.
Was he kidding? If anything, her skin was heating up. “No.”
“Me, either,” he said, the double meaning clear. “Do I scare you, Star?”
“Not exactly. Well, maybe a little.”
A shadow crossed his features. “I want to apologize again for the way I treated you when we were kids. I can’t tell you how much I regret hurting and embarrassing you.”
His hands slid up and down her upper arms, his touch gentle, sensual. He looked her straight in the eyes and Star saw sincerity and regret.
“Let’s not talk about the past anymore,” she said, unable to think of anything else to say. In fact, she was having trouble thinking at all as Cade’s hands moved to her shoulders. “Let’s just agree that we both had it rough and move on.”
“Deal.” His hands cupped her face. Slowly, his fingers passed over her cheeks and into her hair.
No one had ever touched her like this, with such tenderness. Desire shot through Star. She felt like a piece of chocolate left too long in the sun, melted and delicious. Unable to help herself, Star swayed toward him.
His mouth took hers.
And heaven help her, Star kissed him back. He held her head in his large hands, making her a willing captive. She didn’t want to escape. She wanted more. His tongue touched hers. Liquid heat pooled deep in her belly. For the first time she understood lust and longing.
Star inched closer to him, her hands splaying against his chest, so solid and firm under her palms. So male. So different from her.
Cade’s mouth left her lips to explore her neck. Star moaned. His lips brushed over her chin, back to her mouth, and he whispered, “I always wanted to kiss you. That was a long time coming.”
His words feathered across her skin, dissolving the rest of her doubts about this new improved Cade. She pulled back in an effort to gather her wits. Her heart pounded in her chest. Every nerve ending in her body sizzled.
He touched his forehead to hers. “I want you, Star. Maybe I always have.”
Was this about sex? Did he want to have sex with her? “No, that’s not happening.”
“Why?” he asked.
Cade was a dead–end, for so many reasons. “I’m leaving soon.”
“So?” he said, his eyes smoldering with intent. “We’re grownups.”
“Meaning?” she asked.
“Meaning we’re free agents. We can make love without guilt.”
Star turned out of his embrace, cold where she’d been hot seconds before. “Maybe you can, but I can’t. I’m not a one–night stand kind of girl. We’re not a good fit, you and I. You’re the all–American outdoorsman. I’m a city girl. We are worlds apart.”
“Come on, Star,” Cade said, taking her hands. “I’m talking about sex, no
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